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Kelvin Sampson Makes His Opinion On Jon Scheyer Extremely Clear

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Apr 3, 2025 6:04 PM ET

Jon Scheyer can etch his name into Duke lore by leading the Blue Devils to a national championship.

The head coach is two wins away from ending his third season by cutting the nets. Scheyer must first steer Duke to a victory over Kelvin Sampson's Houston Cougars on Saturday night.

Sampson praised his contemporary ahead of their semifinal matchup at San Antonio. Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Houston's head coach said Scheyer is no longer working to escape Mike Krzyzewski's shadow.

"I'll tell you how good Jon Scheyer has been. Nobody talks about him replacing Coach K anymore," Sampson said. "He's Jon Scheyer. He's got his team in the Final Four. I think that speaks volumes for him."

Scheyer had massive shoes to fill when succeeding Krzyzewski, who retired with five national titles after 42 seasons at Duke. So far, the former Blue Devils guard has excelled.

Duke has remained a basketball juggernaut under Scheyer, going 89-21 with two ACC Tournament championships. The Blue Devils have won four March Madness games by a combined 94 points.

TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 24: Head coach Kelvin Sampson of the Houston Cougars reacts on the sidelines during the first half of the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Ohio State Buckeyes at BOK Center on March 24, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Ahead of the Final Four, Krzyzewski praised Scheyer for forging his own path.

"Jon is really good and was ready to do it," Coach K said on his SiriusXM College Sports Radio show, via the Fayetteville Observer's Rodd Baxley. "He's an outstanding coach and is his own man. He's not trying to be anybody, but he is trying to be Duke. That's a key thing."

Meanwhile, Scheyer also had kind words for his upcoming opponent.

"Winning an Elite Eight game and going to the Final Four is a big deal, and you're really proud of that," Scheyer told Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter. "And then, very quickly, you watch Houston play, and you say, 'All right. We got to get back to work.' Because they're a special team. They haven't lost in a long time."

The 37-year-old expressed admiration for Sampson, who makes his third career Final Four appearance in his 32nd season as a college basketball head coach. Scheyer doesn't expect Saturday's game to be easy.

"They're a great team, so a lot concerns me," he said. "I feel we're a great team, too, and we're excited for the challenge. But a ton of respect for Coach Sampson and what he's done, and then their team for how connected and how tough they are."

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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